Wallboard-cutting apparatus

ABSTRACT

A cutter for wallboard employing two parallel rods with rotary cutters on one set of aligned ends. Means are provided for varying the separation between cutters without varying the spacing between the rods. A support for a wallboard edge can be moved back and forth in the axial direction along the rods to vary the separation between cutters and support as desired.

United States Patent Lind [54] WALLBOARD-CUTTING APPARATUS [72]Inventor: Runar Lind, 199 New Jersey Ave., Bergenfield, NJ. 07621 [22]Filed: Dec. 15, 1969 211 Appl. No.: 885,052

[52] US. Cl ..30/292, 30/293 [51] Int. Cl [58] Field of Search ..30/265,287, 292, 293, 300,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,308,650 7/1919 Wilson..30/300 Feb. 29, 1972 1,578,477 3/1926 Smith ..30/292 2,254,413 9/1941Battershell... ..83/1l 2,529,210 11/1950 Butler ...30/294 X 3,174,2253/1965 Abraham ..30/292 Primary Examiner-Theron E. Condon AssistantExaminer-J. C. Peters Attorney-Theodore Jay, .Ir.

57 ABSTRACT A cutter for wallboard employing two parallel rods withrotary cutters on one set of aligned ends. Means are provided forvarying the separation between cutters without varying the spacingbetween the rods. A support for a wallboard edge can be moved back andforth in the axial direction along the rods to vary the separationbetween cutters and support as desired.

5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures Patented Feb. 29, 1972 INVENTOR.

RUNAR L/ND ATTORNEY 1 WALLBOARD-CUTTING APPARATUS SUMMARY OF THEINVENTION In order to cut sheets of wallboard to size, it is known tomanually score opposite surfaces of the wallboard in exact alignment,cutting through the paper covering each surface, and then to applypressure manually along the scoring to break off the piece to be cut.

I have devised a new type of wallboard cutter which enables a user toscore both surfaces of a sheet of wallboard in exact alignment and atdesired position with great ease and accura- To this end, my apparatuscomprises first and second parallel horizontal elongated members lyingin a common vertical plane and held at one set of corresponding ends.First and second circular or rotary cutters are each connected to anopposite end of a corresponding member and are each freely rotatably ina common vertical plane.

A support for a free edge of a sheet of wallboard extends transverselyto the members and is movable back and forth therealong in the axialdirection thereof. Means manually operable are provided for moving thesupport along the members to establish a desired distance between thesupport and the cutters.

' The apparatus is then moved along the sheet to be cut, with thedesired edge moving along the support and the sheet passing between thecutters. The cutters then score the opposite surfaces of the sheet andcut the paper thereon whereby both surfaces are scored in exactalignment and in the desired position. The piece to be cut can then bebroken off as desired.

Means are provided for varying the separation between the cutterswithout changing the separation between the members whereby theapparatus can be adjusted to cut sheets differing in thickness.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of my invention; and

FIG. 2 is a detail view of a portion of the structure shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to FIGS.1-2, first and second parallel spaced horizontal rods 18 and 16 are eachsupported at one end by a vertical support member 12. An elongatedhorizontal worm 48 parallel to the rods and lying in a common verticalplane therewith has one end rotatably journaled in member 12 wherebyelements 22 and 20 form a crank secured to worm 42 and rotation of thecrank rotates the worm about its axis.

A member having in cross section the shape of an L is provided withjoined vertical and horizontal strips 24 and 26 extending at rightangles to the rods and is so constructed as to slidable back and forththerealong in the axial direction.

Strips 24 and 26 are secured to a support 44 to which handle is alsosecured. Support 44 has bores through which the rods pass freely as wellas an additional bore internally threaded and engaged by the worm. Thus,as the worm is rotated, the support is moved back and forth in the axialdirection previously described to move the strips accordingly.

The lower rod has a circular cutter 34 secured to the other end andfreely rotatably in a vertical plane. The other end of the upper rod issecured to a vertical plate 38 having one surface with two parallelvertical grooves 40. A second vertical plate 14 has parallel verticaltongues 42, each tongue engaging a corresponding groove. A secondcircular cutter 32 is secured to plate 14 and is freely rotatablethereabout in a common vertical plane with cutter 34. A screw 36, whentightened, locks the plates 14 and 38 together in desired position and,when loosened, enables said plates to be slidable relative to eachother. As a result of this sliding action, the

separation between the cutters can be varied without varying to the endof the member with its surface flush with strip 26. A horizontal roller28, freely rotatable about its axis, is secured to vertical plate. Thisplate is pivotable about a bolt extending through it and strip 26whereby the separation between roller 28 and strip 26 can be varied asdesired. Nut 30 permits the plate to be locked into any desiredposition.

In use, the worm is rotated until the cutters and member are separatedby the desired distance for cutting. The separation between the cuttersis set for the thickness of the wallboard to be cut. The separationbetween roller 28 and strip 26 is adjusted to the same thickness. Thenan edge of the wallboard is disposed on strip 26 against strip 24 andthe handle is pushed to pass the strips along the board with the rollerssubstantially eliminating friction. As the board passes between thecutters, both sides of the board are scored and the paper on each sideis cut through. The scored portion can then be snapped off the mainportion of the wallboard in conventional manner.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for scoring opposite surfaces of a sheet of wallboard, saidapparatus comprising:

first and second coplanar parallel elongated members spaced apart fromeach other;

first means secured to one set of aligned ends of said elongatedmembers;

first and second rotary cutters, said first cutter being connected tothe other end of the first elongated member and freely rotatable aboutthe axis thereof, the second cutter being coupled to the other end ofthe second elongated member and being rotatable about an axis parallelto the axis of the second elongated member;

a support for an edge of said sheet which extends transversely to saidelongated members and is movable back and forth axially there along;

second means for moving said support axially back and forth along saidelongated members to a desired position to establish a desiredseparation between said support and said cutters;

third means for varying the separation between said cutters withoutaltering the separation between said elongated members, said third meansincluding two flat plates disposed between second cutter and the otherend of the second elongated member, said plates extending at rightangles to the direction of elongation of the second elongated member andbeing parallel, said third means further including coacting meansconnecting the two plates to permit relative sliding movementtherebetween to vary the separation between the cutters, said coactingmeans including grooves in one plate extending at right angles to thedirection of elongation and tongues on the other plate, each tongueengaging a corresponding groove; and

fourth means for guiding a wallboard edge along said support.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim I wherein said support has first andsecond strips joined to each other and lying in mutually perpendicularplanes, whereby said wallboard edge can be supported upon the firststrip, said fourth means including a first roller extending upward atright angles to the first strip and freely rotatable about its axis anda second roller which extends at right angles to the first roller, saidsecond roller being freely rotatable about its axis and spaced from thefirst strip and the first roller.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said fourth means includesadditional means for varying the separation between the second rollerand the first strip.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said support has a threadedbore extending therethrough parallel to said elongated members and saidsecond means includes an elongated worm passing through and threadedlyengaging the bore.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said second means includesa crank for rotating said worm about its axis.

1. Apparatus for scoring opposite surfaces of a sheet of wallboard, saidapparatus comprising: first and second coplanar parallel elongatedmembers spaced apart from each other; first means secured to one set ofaligned ends of said elongated members; first and second rotary cutters,said first cutter being connected to the other end of the firstelongated member and freely rotatable about the axis thereof, the secondcutter being coupled to the other end of the second elongated member andbeing rotatable about an axis parallel to the axis of the secondelongated member; a support for an edge of said sheet which extendstransversely to said elongated members and is movable back and forthaxially there along; second means for moving said support axially backand forth along said elongated members to a desired position toestablish a desired separation between said support and said cutters;third means for varying the separation between said cutters withoutaltering the separation between said elongated members, said third meansincluding two flat plates disposed between second cutter and the otherend of the second elongated member, said plates extending at rightangles to the direction of elongation of the second elongated member andbeing parallel, said third means further including coacting meansconnecting the two plates to permit relative sliding movementtherebetween to vary the separation between the cutters, said coactingmeans including grooves in one plate extending at right angles to thedirection of elongation and tongues on the other plate, each tongueengaging a corresponding groove; and fourth means for guiding awallboard edge along said support.
 2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1wherein said support has first and second strips joined to each otherand lying in mutually perpendicular planes, whereby said wallboard edgecan be supported upon the first strip, said fourth means including afirst roller extending upward at right angles to the first strip andfreely rotatable about its axis and a second roller which extends atright angles to the first roller, said second roller being freelyrotatable about its axis and spaced from the first strip and the firstroller.
 3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said fourth meansincludes additional means for varying the separation between the secondroller and the first strip.
 4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 whereinsaid support has a threaded bore extending therethrough parallel to saidelongated members and said second means includes an elongated wormpassing through and threadedly engaging the bore.
 5. Apparatus as setforth in claim 4 wherein said second means includes a crank for rotatingsaid worm about its axis.